Stronger than Mithril
by Smash-Photographer
Summary: Thorin deceived his nephews into wearing mithril. Tauriel and Kili have a second chance but they soon find it won't be easy. The prejudices are big, certainly combined with the rebuilding of a kingdom. But the love these two share is strong and with help from an unexpected angle, will they manage to get through it all?
1. Introduction

**Yes, I know that Kili had to die, I know that it was canon. But still I like to think that there was some alternative middle-earth where the two of them manage to defeat the odds and have a life together. This is it.**

**I don't own any of the characters, they are the result of the genius called Tolkien, and of Peter Jackson. Hope you enjoy it.**

_**Introduction**_

_Her body was tired but she managed to climb back up again with Legolas' support. Once there he helped her, the woman he loved, lower herself next to the body of the man she loved. An anguished cry escaped her as she now had the time to take it in that the future she had finally allowed herself to hope for could never be. _

_Legolas wanted to comfort her but what could he possibly say to begin with? He would never understand the feelings she had for the dwarf. How she, an elf, a firstborn created by Eru himself could harbour feelings for one of Aulë's creatures. But what he mostly couldn't understand was how he, who had been there for her for over 600 years could never awaken even a fragment of the feelings in her heart, which the dwarf managed to truly unleash in just a couple of days. He couldn't wrap his mind around it, would never understand it, but respected her all the more for managing to do it. To break the walls that were so tightly build between the two races and fill the new gape up with love. And so, he took a few steps back and let her express her grief._

"_Do you think that this is the will from the valar?" She asked as she stroked the dwarf's cheeks "Do you think they couldn't allow the love we felt for one another, that they decided to take it away from us?"_

"_I… I don't know." Was his response. He thought it possible but had the sense not to tell her that at this moment for it meant that what she and the dwarf had was so wrong that even the gods couldn't allow it._

"_If it was… I don't understand why it was their will that I lived. Why I have to carry this burden. I want it gone. I.. I feel like I'm choking on it."_

_He knelt down beside her and placed his arm on her shoulder. "There is no cure for loss. Even if you did have extra years together, you were bound to lose him anyway. He doesn't possess the gift of immortality." _

_Legolas finally looked at the face of the dwarf that lay fallen before him and saw what Tauriel in her grief could not. He took his dagger and held it close to the dwarf's nose. It was very irregular but it was there. So slowly one could easily miss it, the breath of the dwarf was fogging the blade. _

_Not saying anything, as to not give her hope yet he opened the dwarf's outer armour and found it there hidden underneath, mithril._

"_He's alive, he was wearing mithril." He jumps up and starts examining the dwarf further._

"_But why is he in such a state then?" Tauriel asked, not yet daring to believe that it was true. _

"_The blow was heavy, most of his ribs are broken and I think one is piercing his left lung. There's also one piercing through his skin, that's where the blood's coming from. We must take him down to the healers. He's not dead but he's not living yet either Tauriel."_

"_Hang on my love," Tauriel whispered to the dwarf in front of her "I'm here. Hang on for me." _

_They used an old door to help carry him without worsening his state. Moving as steady and fast as they could without harming him. As elves they managed to do this at still a good speed. All the way down she prayed, to every vala that there was, hoping that it would help him, hoping that one of them might help her. _

_When they finally reached the camp of the elven healers he was still alive but hanging there by barely a thread. The healers took over and started working on him yet there was no persuading Tauriel to leave Kili's side. This earned her a few judging looks as her affection for the dwarf was obvious but she didn't see them, and if she could have she'd ignore them. Her Kili was fine, safe, the battle was over and by the first diagnosis of the elves he would face a hard recovery but live nonetheless. She didn't know who else had lived or died, who would enter the halls of Mandos tonight. She wasn't thinking about any of them. Her grief for those who had passed would follow after she had lived through this joy._

_Legolas looked upon the scene and felt his own heart ache. The dwarf had been lucky, very lucky indeed. The valar were with them after all and it meant both the loss of the woman he loved as the crumbling of every belief he grew up with about the relations between elves and other races. He needed time alone. Time to think about the changes that took place and he knew he wouldn't find them here, not with the people where he grew up learning these beliefs. He went out of the tent, he had to find his father and talk to him._

**Hoped you liked the idea, let me know in a review. It's the first time I dared to write in the universe of Tolkien, even though I've been a fan since I was 12 or so.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Thank you so much ****Celebrisilweth****, ****Noxy the Proxy**** and ****Stardurin1217**** for your reviews. Stardurin's question will be answered in this chapter. Hope you won't be dissapointed.**

Thankfully, broken bones and wounds were quite easy to heal for the elves, but Kili was weakened and it took some time until he had regained enough strength to wake up. The elves had placed him in a separate tent to recover, not wanting the tension Tauriel's obvious affections and concerns for the dwarf created within their ranks to be a bother for the other patients.

Tauriel herself didn't want to leave his side for one second, eating and sleeping in the same tent as she guarded over Kili. On the third day he still hadn't awoken though all the signs showed that he soon would. She had seated herself next to his bed and had taken his hand in hers.

"A messenger has been send to the dwarves just now, they're told that you are fine and healing and that they are welcome to visit you at any time. They don't want to move you again until you've woken up. What's taking you so long my love?" she asked as she let her hand brush through his hair, "I know your wounds need time and that you were weakened, you nearly died after all. But you're having me so worried here. What on earth are you doing to me? My whole life, which has been longer than your grandfather's I must say, I've been a strong woman, a fighter. And here you have my entire will to live in your hands."

A tear rolled over her cheek as she continued to look at him.

"It's what love does to us." A voice behind her spoke, she turned around and saw Thandruil standing there, she hadn't heard him coming into the tent. Stubbornly Tauriel looked back at Kili's form.

"I thought you didn't believe it was love?"

"I didn't, couldn't fathom the idea of an elf loving a dwarf, still can't. But Legolas told me what happened the day of the battle and I must say, it made me believe that perhaps it is possible, by some strange ways of the valar."

Tauriel turned around to look at her king and that's when she saw it, the weakness in his eyes, the unmoving king had known love and lost it. He may not know the way love worked, neither did she, but he had known it enough to recognize it when it was there. She realised why he never talked to Legolas about his mother. If she had lost Kili that day, she knew the pain would be too intense, too great, to express in words.

"I'm sorry…"

"For which specific, ignored command are you sorry?"

"Not one, and I think you understand me when I say that. I can't regret ignoring them for they made sure that the man I loved is still here today. But I am sorry for saying that you never knew love in your life, I can now see that you've known it deeply."

The king in front of her merely nodded his head not being a man of many words when it came down to his emotions, actually a man of no words when his own emotions were concerned. He exited the tent but halted just a moment.

"The path you have chosen is not easy. There will be a lot of opposition. I hope you realise I can't let you continue in your function and position. There will be a lot of your kind that won't accept your choice and won't respect you for it."

"I realise that." She had already seen the looks some of the elf healers had given her the past days.

"You are like a daughter to me, but I can't allow you to stay at Mirkwood for now, when you're in love with a dwarf. The tensions are still too high. But I want you to know that even though politics force me to banish you from my kingdom, I'm not banishing you from my heart. Should you and the dwarf need help, all you have to do is ask."

Tauriel opened her mouth wanting to thank him as she knew how hard it was for him to say those words and how grateful she was for what he said. But at that moment a cough behind made her turn around to the form behind her. Kili was waking up, having a severe coughing fit that made it hard for him to breath.

"I'm here." She said as she helped him up so he could catch some more breath.

"My lungs, they're burning."

"Pierced lungs will have that effect on you. They're healing now, you've been lucky."

His lungs calmed down again, still aching heavily but at least he was getting the oxygen he needed. He had indeed been lucky he thought as the memories of the battle field returned.

"Fili wasn't…"

"What do you mean?"

"Azog got to him. He was wearing mithril like me and Thorin, but I guess the fall killed him, he fell in front of me."

She gave him a reassuring smile, glad she could relieve him from that burden "Kili, Fili lives. They found him and got him to one of the healer camps. He was in a bad shape, worse than you and his recovery will be longer but your brother is very much alive."

A relief like he had never felt before washed over him as he heard the news. He couldn't help but laugh loudly which resulted in another painful coughing fit.

"I'm glad I don't have to be the heir to the throne," he said once he recovered and lay down against his pillow "would've been a rather bad one."

Tauriel's eyes looked alarmed, she had just given him the reassurance of his brother living, but would have to give him bad news after all it seemed. He noticed it and sat up again.

"What, what is it?"

"Kili… You are the heir to the throne." Her voice was hesitating, not sure how to go on next "Thorin… Thoring your uncle has fallen… Fili is king now."

The pain in his eyes was so obvious that she almost felt it herself. Her hand went to his, taking it but he didn't even seem to notice it.

"How?" was all he could bring out after a moment of silence.

"From what we gathered he was fighting Azog, it was just your uncle and him. We found Azog with your uncle's blade buried deep inside of him but your uncle was heavily wounded as well, he had received a mortal blow to his stomach."

Kili felt confused as he listened, surely that was a mistake? He remembered his uncle giving them a mithril hauberk, holding one himself in his hands. Surely he had worn that one?

"But… he was wearing mithril, just like us." He cried out, voicing his confusion, frantically, looking at her, daring her to contradict his last shred of hope that this was all a mistake, like Fili's dead. And that his uncle would be waiting for him at the mountain.

"Kili… he wasn't. He was wearing his normal armour. No mithril was found."

"Then he lied, he lied because he knew we wouldn't wear it if he didn't."

Tauriel crawled onto the bed and held him in her arms as his grief sank in. Despite his hurt and anger he welcomed her touch, returning it, almost needing it.

"He tried to save your life. He was your uncle, he felt responsible to you."

Kili shook his head, "No, that wasn't his concern. He was responsible to his kingdom, he was king, I was a soldier. I should've given my life for him! He should've known that was my job."

"Your king didn't want that. Can't you see? He wanted to be your uncle first, king second."

"And what about my honour?"

Tauriel was silent, knowing what he meant. They were the same in that manner. The normal thing a soldier would hear is that he followed his kings commands even though they may not have been the wisest of them. If he listened and followed those, he was an honourable soldier. But they were different in that regard. Both having a desire to do the right thing the way their heart dictates it to them above the way their king did.

She had ignored every command her king gave her to save the man she loved and to help defeat the evil that was infesting all the lands, not just hers. He having a fierce desire to protect his king, his kin and his kingdom against all dangers, even if it meant giving up his own life.

His mother called him reckless, she would call him the bravest men she knew.

"Your intentions were there Kili, you would've died for your king. You didn't know, that wasn't your fault."

"I think it had to do with his own honour… the tales he told about Azog. I think he wanted to face him and kill him with equal weapons."

"And he did just that."

"Yeah…" he mused, "I guess he did. What happens now? Are you going to leave again?"

Tauriel could feel her heart beat faster "Do you want me to?"

"You know I do. When Bolg tried to kill me, I saw you looking at me at me and I felt hope. I figured if I die now at least I know that she loved me."

"Strange how you must sometimes feel as if you're losing something to realise that you can't live without it."

He moved his lips closer to hers, she eagerly allowed him, returning the kiss.

They remained silent after they broke apart, both lost in their own world of thoughts as they held each other. There was still a lot to be talked about but for now they needed the quiet and the reassurance that the other was there, still alive and not going anywhere. How long they had been like that they didn't know, could've been only 10 minutes, could've been hours. They were interrupted when a female elf walked in, not really able to hide the look of disgust on her face as she saw the way the dwarf and elf were holding each other.

"Prince Kili, you have visitors."

Tauriel got up from her place and arranged his pillow to allow him to sit up as Bofur, Dwalin and Ori walked into the room.

"Get your stuff lad, we're here to take you away from these elves. You may grab his stuff she-elf, he won't be bothering you anymore." Dwalin commanded, getting straight down to business.

"The she-elf's name is Tauriel, Dwalin. And she's coming with us."

He got up with the help of Tauriel and both Dwalin and Ori looked dumbfounded at the sight before them. Bofur however smiled.

"Good to see you back lady Tauriel. I see you got your question answered hen laddie." He teased as he helped her get him up.

"Can someone explain to me what is going on here? Don't tell me it is what I think it is."

"If you're asking me if I've fallen in love with an elf then yes, it's true." Kili groaned as he tried to put on his clothes "And you own her your respect and gratitude, if it weren't for her, you'd be collecting a corpse here."

"If it weren't for her we'd be collecting a corpse far sooner than that." Bofur spoke up for her.

"But she's an elf! How is that even possible." Dwalin roared

"Don't ask us to explain it, I don't know if either of us can. But I know that it's there and that it's true. She's going with us. The only one who can forbid that is the king and that's who I like to see now. Take me to my brother."

Dwalin shook his head but allowed her to go with them nevertheless. Showing clearly that he did not like the situation.

"My brother won't like this either you know." he muttered.

"I expect a great many number of dwarves won't like this but they're going to have to live with it."

Tauriel looked at the scene with regret in her heart, she knew that things wouldn't be easy and that a rift might be caused within the dwarves. As much as she loved Kili, she didn't want to separate him from his family.

**Well, this was the first complete chapter. Hope you liked it. Let me know!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Thank you ****Stardurin1217**** for your review. I'm glad you love this story so far. **

**Thank you as well to everyone who follows this story.**

Moving Kili to the dwarven hospital wasn't easy, he was still weak and the strain was heavy on his lungs but he managed to get there, and was brought into Fili's room. Tauriel had decided to wait outside, not wanting to confront Fili yet with an elf who was perhaps a bit too close with his dwarven brother. Fili was awake but looked as if he would fall apart into dust if you but touched him. At the sight of his brother he did manage to produce a smile.

"Made it then." he spoke so softly that it could've easily been missed.

"And still better looking than you." Was Kili's reply as he settled down next to his brother's bed.

"Oh yeah? Looked in the mirror lately?" Kili couldn't help laughing again and coughed loudly. Not being able to get out of it, Tauriel at last couldn't hear it anymore. She quickly rushed to his side and offered him some water.

"Your pretty elf nurse has returned then?" Fili asked, looking at the scene. Tauriel tried to signal to Kili to just follow this story for now but Kili wouldn't have any of it. He knew his brother wasn't a fool, he was there when he proclaimed his love for her. He wanted her by his side, and he wanted his brother to know.

"Brother, I think you're smarter than that. I think you already know what's going on here."

Fili's eyes betrayed that this was indeed the case but that somehow he had hoped that it wasn't, that his brother's declarations at the elf's address back in lake town where just the mumblings of a sick fool who couldn't think straight. He saw in the changing expression of his brother that he had read all those things and saw his expression change as well, he looked hurt. Fili closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath.

"Off all the things I could predict you doing…" he mumbled tiredly and Tauriel took a step back from Kili, not wanting to make the situation worse "Mom did always say it wouldn't be easy being king with you as a brother." He opened his eyes again and looked over at his brother and the elf. "How serious is this?"

"I have been a reckless and impulsive brother who has caused you many worries in the past, but when have you ever see me declare love impulsively? I have only ever declared it to my family, the ones who have stood by my side and who have been there for me. I'm sure you are too tired now to hear the whole story but if you do hear it, you will know why I love her and how there'll never be another woman for me. This isn't just me being love-struck because some maiden saved my life over and over again. It's more than that."

Fili nodded his head slowly and looked up at Tauriel "Tauriel, please accept my apologies, I don't have the energy to be subtle here and I don't want to say things to you that may insult you. Would you be so kind to leave my brother and me alone for a moment."

Tauriel nodded and looked at Kili "Remember the state your brother's in." she reminded him before leaving the tent.

Kili nodded his head as he watched her leave.

"Do you have any idea what this means for both you and her? You're a dwarf, she's an elf. Let us just imagine that the world's a more perfect place than I assume it is at the moment and that you and her don't have to face any prejudices because suddenly after this battle everyone gets along, which I'm sure won't be the case. You say you love her and I'm sure that you've thought things through for the consequences that you'll have to face, otherwise you're an even bigger fool than I think you are right now. But have you done the same for her? Are you willing to let her go through all that, knowing that you love her?"

"She is a strong woman Fili, I won't make decisions in her place, if she says she can face them then I trust that she means it."

"You know you won't ever be able to have children right? I know that for a dwarf that's no big deal, many of us don't even know what it's like to have a wife, let alone children. But for her… an elf, that might be difficult to accept. Elves only have one true love in their life, if she decides to spend that time with you then not only will that period of love in her life be just a fraction of it, she also won't have any loved ones after you to comfort her."

Kili lowered his head in his arms and remained silent for a bit, the truth was he was starting to regret he brought it up already, while he and his brother were still so tired. But he feared that if he didn't Dwalin or another dwarf would beat him to it and who knew what they would say.

"What do you want me to do brother? If she wants to stay with me, should I cast her off just so she could have children with another man that might live a longer life with her?"

"If she's happy to stay with you then I don't see any problem, but you are my brother and I want you to be happy. I don't want you to face any heartbreak in the future. I want you to talk to her, think things through. You're not just two different races, you're made by a different vala and a different design altogether. There'll be many things to overcome my brother. Many things that you and her haven't even discovered yet. How about her need to live in the forest and your need to live underground? How about her love for surrounding herself with all things pure, beautiful and delicate and your love for surrounding yourself with all things wrought, practical and coarse? "

Fili remained quiet for a second, trying to recover from his speech.

"You shouldn't wind yourself up over this brother. Will you let me do the talking now?"

His brother just nodded his head and Kili took a breath before starting.

"I don't think you realise that most of the differences you summoned are easy to overcome. Yes, she may long for the forest but we're just one mountain that's one horse ride away from a wide landscape of forests. And just you wait until the surrounding landscape here recovers now that Smaug is gone. If the need arises she'll have all the nature she needs. As for our love for all things delicate and all things coarse… She is the most pure and beautiful creature I have ever behold, deadly maybe, but even then she manages to move herself with grace. I fell in love with her, like I never did before, so how deep does my love and need for those other things go? Same with her, you can call me many things but not those and yet she still loves me. As for her immortality, children, no… to those I must admit that I hadn't thought about them yet. But if I promise you that I'll talk to her about that. That we'll talk this through and then make our final decision, can you promise me that whatever that decision might be, you'll follow me in it?"

Fili looked at the ceiling and closed his eyes again, "I'm too exhausted to even think about the problems that this will bring me as king on a political scale, but you're my brother and I'll promise it. I'm scared about it all to be honest… me king? I've never seen Erebor in its old days, all my knowledge comes from the stories uncle told us. I don't know who to turn to for trade, I don't know how to guard that huge treasure below, how this mountain's infrastructure even works, what is left of it? Who do I put in charge of what? I want you in on it brother, help me get through it. Don't let yourself be pestered away. You chose this path, don't let it lead to a separate one from me."

Kili nodded his head "I promise you that my brother."

"Then I promise to not only accept it, but be happy for you. It won't be easy… This will certainly complicate things for me… But like I said to our uncle a few days ago, I'm your brother and my place is with you. So yes… Just don't expect that from everyone."

Kili felt tears coming up as he knelt by his brother's bed. "Thank you brother."

"Now, if you'll excuse me this conversation was quiet exhausting and tomorrow is our uncle's funeral. I need my beauty sleep."

"Like I said brother. I'm still better looking than you, no matter how many beauty sleeps you get."

"Yeah? Well we'll see about that when mother gets her hands on you after you introduce Tauriel. Oh and Kili, the elves will be there for your uncle's funeral, so Tauriel can be as well. Just don't let your connection show so publicly just yet. I need… I need to estimate the scale of all this first and for that I need to get better first."

Kili stumbled outside the room where he was awaited by Bofur and Tauriel who helped him towards his own room. He just wanted to get into a bed and sleep. As they laid him down on his bed and turned to leave Kili grabbed Tauriel's arm.

"Will you stay a while longer?" Tauriel looked up at Bofur who nodded that he would wait outside for her. She kneeled down beside his bed and looked at him. He turned on his side, facing her and grabbed her hand in his.

"Are you sure you want this? Us?"

"I am sure, why are you doubting that?" she looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"Fili… he supports us but there are some things that he said that are worth considering. If you stay with me I can't give you any children Tauriel, little is known about a relationship between elf and dwarf, but that they can't have children that is certain. We're off a different creator. If you stay with me you may spend another 150, if we're lucky 250 years with me but after that I'll be gone and there'll be no children to fill that emptiness. Are you sure you want that?"

Tauriel smiled at him, tears rolling over her cheeks as she let her hand go through his hair.

"Don't you think I haven't thought about that? The way I see it I will lose you one day, though I dread even thinking about it, I love you and my heart is bound to you. I rather spend whatever time you can give me with you then leave it now and regret what never was." She kissed his head and smiled at him "So you need to rest now, we still have a lot to face together."

They kissed one last time before she got up and followed Bofur to her own bed, it was a hastily makeshift one and she could tell that whoever made it didn't really care wetter she slept comfortably or not.

**Well, that's it, the second chapter. Hope you still like it! Let me know in a review, I love to hear what you think of it.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Thank you Borys68, PJ and guest for your kind reviews. **

**Borys68 – Who know what they might do ;). And yeah, I think it would be a complete mess if Kili were to be the one sitting on the throne. Besides, personally I'm a bit of a fan of the whole brother thing those two have going on.**

**PJ – Thank you for calling it believable, it's one of the things I try to aim at and I hope I continue to succeed in that. I did take a risk in this chapter.**

In his end, Thorin Oakenshield had regained and gained a lot of respect, that much was clear on the day of his funeral. All seven leaders of the dwarven tribes had come, Fili standing among them with his brother by his side, looking calm and collected that only Kili knew just how much he had been panicking all morning, dreading his first appearance as a king. Not in the least because of the fact that his wounds were still troubling him. Tauriel had spent all morning together with Ori to try to make him as comfortable as possible throughout the day.

All the other kings, masters and lords who had the opportunity to come at such a short notice were there, paying homage to the old and new king. The hall was packed with elves, dwarfs and humans and one single hobbit, who stood quietly amongst the dwarves next to the wizard Gandalf, one of the few crying as Thorin was carried in by the company that had stood close by him, mounting him on the funeral pyre in the centre of the hall.

It was the first time Kili saw his uncle's body and he knew that by standing next to his brother, he couldn't afford to show any sign of weakness or mourning, he had to be dignified through it all, all eyes were on them. He only cared for one pair of them though, she was standing alone, not a part of any group, the lonely elf. How he wished to take that loneliness away from her, for her to stand next to him proudly. But he had promised his brother to give him the time to work through this on a political scale. Things would be bad enough as it was for him. All that treasure, it just screamed trouble.

"They say you need to be careful what you wish for." Fili whispered towards him.

"What do you mean brother?"

"For years we dreamed for the day we would take back the mountain and restore it to its former glory, remember all those nights we were guarding caravans, camping out in the open, dreaming that instead of the cold light of the stars, it was the comforting feeling of a roof and the warm light of torches that surrounded us."

Kili nodded his head "If I remember correctly though brother, neither of us wished or dreamed that we would have to give up our soldiering ways so soon. I imagined we both thought our uncle to be the king who would get us through this first mess and probably the mess we created on top of that. Besides…" he continued, looking again at Tauriel "I don't think of the starlight as cold anymore. In fact I think it's the sort of light that can warm a man's heart."

"You know I do sometimes wonder if I didn't beat you too much on the head when we were younger and if having to put up with an insane brother now is my punishment for that… Well, here's my cue." Fili replied before he took a step forward.

"My fellow brothers and sisters, for that is what I call you, all of you. Whether you have come here to represent the kingdoms of men, elves or dwarves."

There was a bit of mumbling amongst the crowd at that but Kili had expected it to be worse.

"We have fought bravely together in the face of evil and have managed to be victorious together as a united people and now, we bury our deaths together, we mourn our deaths together and I hope that together we will stay. Because I fear that this is not the end of our suffering. We were victorious now, but they are not defeated. My uncle…" Fili halted for just a moment, staring at the body in front of him as Kili took a step closer.

"My uncle was a noble man, a man who at a young age saw dragon fire take away not his kingdom, but his home, his friends and family, the place where he belonged. All my life I knew him as the man who had lived for just one purpose, to return to that home. He fought many dangers and took many dangerous paths to get here and all this way he always stood beside his men, not behind to shield himself from all that we were facing, not in front of us, because he thought our worth was less than him. No… he stood beside us to the end and paid the ultimate price so his folk could return to his home. And now, we bury our uncle's ashes on the place he longed for, for almost all his life. His home, Erebor. All hail! King Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror, king under the mountain!"

The rest of the crowd repeated the words after him, yelling the name of Thorin Oakenshield, their king, one last time. After that Balin walked towards the pyre and took the crown that had been on Thorin's head and walked with it towards Kili, handing it over to him. "I think it should be you who should crown our new king."

Kili swallowed and nodded his head as he took the crown over, and turned towards his brother. Reciting the words he had only heard in tales and stories long ago, he wasn't prepared and his arms were shaking.

"Do you Fili of the line of Durin, son of Dis, daughter of Thror, promise to rule over this mountain with honour and dignity? Do you promise to protect its wealth as your conscience abides you and to let it live on in days of glory."

"I promise" Fili replied

"Then I now crown you, king Fili of the line of Durin, king under the mountain."

He placed the crown upon his brother's head and smiled as he got up and looked at the crowd, taking the torch that was handed to him he walked to the centre, one king burying another. Kili suddenly felt very tired, like he hadn't slept in days and he was sure his brother felt the same way. But the day wasn't over yet, for either of them.

Hours later, Tauriel was walking the halls of Erebor by herself, both the king and his brother where still busy receiving emissaries from the different people that had come today. Negotiating new pacts and deals. It didn't seem fitting at a day of a funeral but then again these weren't ordinary circumstances. She walked towards one of the few balconies that looked out towards the surrounding lands as the sun came down.

"It looks peaceful, doesn't?"

Tauriel looked up and stared into the face of Gandalf the grey, she hadn't heard him approach her which was a rare thing to happen to her.

"It won't last, I think you are aware of that as well." He continued.

She was, though she didn't dare to speak it out loud, curious to where the wizard was going with this she remained silent and let him continue with his speech.

"There's going to be many dangers yet at the path of these brothers and though it will be difficult, I think an alliance with an elf is what this country truly needs to unite against the armies that are gathering."

Tauriel wanted to ask how he knew about her and Kili's wish but knew better not to question the ways of a wizard, instead she just continued to look out over the country.

"You know more of the danger that's coming don't you?"

"Oh yes! I have seen it before, it is a dark, dark evil that will spread over these lands. But I think the secret of uniting us all lies here, in this mountain. Not in the form of treasure, but in the form of love. Love is a curious thing you know… Its power is almost unmeasurable."

"That's the thing isn't, it can unite things but it can also destroy them."

"So young and so little faith in the world."

"I have seen enough of the world to know how selfish its nature can be when men talk of boundaries, gold and power."

Gandalf turned towards her "Just you wait, the first negotiations have just ended and I think a young dwarf is looking for you. You'd be surprised about the nature of some men… elves more like it."

He took his leave and Tauriel stood alone for another half hour, thinking about what he had said as the night fell over the landscape in front of her. Suddenly she heard footsteps, approaching her from behind and felt his arms around her waist as he pulled her close.

"Someone might walk in on us." She whispered.

"Let them… I need this just for now."

He pulled her closer towards him, her hands went to his, holding them.

"Negotiations that bad?"

"Negotiations were surprising, then bad, then very bad, then Fili asked me to take my leave."

"What happened?"

Kili let go of her and went to stand in front of her, still holding her hand.

"Before I tell you that, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"If I were to ask you to marry me, just me asking you as a man. What would you say?"

Tauriel smiled.

"I'd be surprised at your speed, but I would say yes. I have never been more sure about anything than you."

Kili nodded his head and then went to sit down on one of the benches, indicating for Tauriel to sit down beside him. Confused about what just happened and what he would tell she followed, sitting down beside him.

"Trust me, you're going to want to sit down when I tell you what just happened."

She nodded her head and indicated for him to start telling his story.

"So… at first it was pretty boring, just the dwarves coming in one by one, paying homage to my brother. Promising to trade with him, promising to fight by his side, and all that stuff. Then it was the turn of the people of Dale, they got the gold that was promised to them and my brother allowed them extra treasure as a thanks for standing by them in battle and expressing the hope that this would continue. All very normal, though the extra treasure did already make a few dwarves cranky I suppose."

She could deduce from that sentence that whatever went wrong, started in the dwarf fractions.

"Now, then your big old fellow Thandruil came forward, we expected this to be a fairly easy thing. The jewels and gems he wanted so badly were already on display and ready to be given to him and then he surprised us all… he refused them."

"He did what?"

"He didn't want them… None of them. Instead he said he wanted me."

Tauriel looked at him, afraid. That really didn't sound good but Kili was quick to calm down her fears.

"Oh no, nothing like that my love. He didn't want to harm me, he wanted a strong alliance with our people. He said he had negotiated with his council for two days and two nights to come to this conclusion. They… They 'want' us to marry."

Though she knew that it didn't make sense at all to Kili, it did make sense to Tauriel as surprising as the news was.

Thandruil loaded the previous kings of the mountain not because they had insulted him or anything like that, their dragon sickness was too much of a mirror. Thandruil suffered the same weakness, the same desire but not for gold. It was gems that he wanted, pure starlight gems. To obtain them would expose him to his weakness, to not obtain him would show another weakness.

But there was one thing she had learned the past days that Thandruil treasured even more than gems, it was love. The love he had felt for his partner in life, the woman who had died and whose memory was buried deep inside of him.

She felt herself boil with excitement at the prospect and looked up at Kili, wanting for him to go further but she could see that it hadn't gone as easy as that.

"The dwarves… those from the other tribes, saw it as an insult. A very grave one. To assume that a prince of one of their tribes would marry an elf that wasn't part of their royalty but a captain of the guard… you should've heard the noise they were making, all talking at once. It hurt Fili a lot and it tired him a lot to calm them all down in the state he is currently in. Thandruil had spoken again but you know his pride more than me I suppose. I think I was the only one in that room who knew what you mean to that man and he wouldn't explain that to the dwarves. Which was when I lost my temper, got forward in front of all of them and said that I have seen the worth of the great Tauriel, a woman who is as fierce in battle as any dwarf and with a beauty that no gem could match and that I would be honoured to take her as my wife."

Tauriel looked up at him, not sure what to say to that, a tear rolled over her cheek.

"I meant that Tauriel. I really did."

He knelt down in front of her now on one knee and took out a ring.

"I want to marry you, I want to make you my wife. I know they are negotiating that right now but I don't want it to be because of some political contract. I want to ask you properly, marry you properly, because I love you. Do you want the same?"

Tauriel nodded her head in silence and their lips met in a kiss that lasted for some time.

"You haven't finished your story yet."

Kili nodded and continued.

"Well… You know, there isn't much to say after that. Fili send me out, said he would take it from there. So I suppose now all we have to do is wait."

"You sound optimistic about it."

"I am optimistic that I will marry you. Wetter I'm optimistic about everyone in that room agreeing, I'm not naïve."

"So now we wait.." Tauriel said, leaning against him.

"Now we wait."

**So, when I said in the summary that they would receive help from an unexpected angle, did anyone expect it would be Thandruil? Hope you still like this story. Let me know in a review if you did.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Thank you Noxy the proxy for your review, and thank you to everyone who has started following this story. Here's the next chapter of the story.**

Fili was exhausted, there wasn't a bone or muscle in his body that wasn't aching as he watched the discussion between elves and dwarves in front of him. Men looking rightfully surprised at the scene in front of them, even he couldn't quite believe what was happening as he watched them all yell at once, the high ceiling of the stone hall they were currently in, reverberated the sound, making it appear even louder than it already was.

"Enough!" He finally yelled, though nobody seemed to listen to him "I said enough!" he screamed once more, standing up straight in one move, his fists smashing on the table in front of him, which finally silenced the hall. He tried to hide the pain that it brought him, not wanting to appear weak in front of everyone. They still had a few days of peace talks planned and this first one wasn't working out the way he had thought it would. For crying out loud he was still wounded and had buried his uncle just this morning. He understood that some things couldn't wait, but he had at least expected things to go as dignified as they could. Not some brawl where even elves apparently forgot their place, shouting almost as loud as the dwarves.

"We've just fought side by side on the battle field, protected each other's back, healed our wounded, buried our dead together. Is that bond so easily broken that we are now yelling at each other as if we were on some damn market discussing the price or the freshness of the fish instead of trying to cement our peace here in the halls of Erebor? Whatever grief one might feel that is brought on by this request let those who feel it step forward and I promise I shall listen to them."

He looked around the silent hall, waiting for the first to come forward, as he could of course predict it was Dain. The king of the iron hills might be a relative to him and even second in the line of his succession at the moment, he didn't held the love for him that his uncle had.

"As not only one king to a king but as family I must ask you nephew... Do you really not see the insult in them offering some lowly elf as a bride to our prince? They put our prince on the same level as their captain of the guard."

The answer to Dain's question was in fact no. When Thandruil had proposed his idea he had been momentarily glad. Glad that perhaps there was an easy way out of the issue that his brother found himself in. But then again how could he have forgotten Dain Ironfoot of all people. One of the proudest most stubborn dwarves that there was, and one who had fancied himself one of the key figures in these peace talks, even though his own kingdom didn't have a lot to gain from them.

"I have seen the lady Tauriel just like our prince has." It was Bofur who had decided to speak now before Fili could reply to Dain's question, "She has saved his life over and over again. A rare jewel she is. She fights fierce in the face of battle and has a beauty that - and I mean no insult here - is actually quite stunning... for an elf. Her hair is as red as the fire of the forges in which we forge our steel. She may be of low birth amongst the elves but I saw that the few subtle differences that this creates and they make her better suited for our kind and in fact very suited for our prince. Would it not be unwise to seal the deal between our kinds with an unhappy marriage? If the symbol of the alliance we are trying to form here isn't prospering, how can the alliance itself be? Wetter it was his intention or not I see wisdom in this proposal, not insult. And if it means we can keep the jewels as well I'd say we got the better deal of the bargain here."

Fili looked at Bofur as if he suddenly saw him anew, he liked the dwarf a lot, almost loved him like a brother after everything they've been through together, but he had to admit that he never expected him of all dwarves to come up with an insight like that. He nodded his head in thanks and allowed him to sit down again. Silence fell again and he wasn't sure how to continue after that speech.

He could see Dain was looking rather cross to be told off by someone he didn't consider his equal. Perhaps that was his real problem. The actual real problem that lay between it all, both parties felt they were too good for the other and both were stubborn in this. No scratch that, the dwarves were stubborn, the elves were proud. He looked around the table once more and let his eyes fall on someone that wasn't elf or dwarf, nor was he stubborn or proud.

"Bard? I can assume that you are an unprejudiced party in this discussion, neither you or your people have anything to gain or to lose from this discussion nor have you had any part in the rift between elves and dwarves. I would value your opinion in this."

Bard hadn't expected this, that much was sure, judging from the look on his face. He composed himself quickly and looked at Fili.

"Your majesty will have to excuse me. I may have nothing to gain or lose from this discussion but I fear that I will if I take sides in this matter. I will only tell you one thing, a tale my father used to tell me when Erebor was believed to be lost, a tale that I can see now holds some truth."

He now looked expectantly at Fili, who gestured that he could continue, honestly, he was king not a father. He didn't have to tell people everything they needed to do, did he?

"It was the tale of how elves and dwarves went on their separate ways. All versions combined together, but how at the bottom of it all, lay a longing for gold and gems that had captured both sides. How each race wanted to outdo the other until their envy became so strong that neither could see the light in each other's eyes without becoming jealous of it. Tauriel and Kili are the first ones who have dared to look past that, who have both expressed a willingness to cross the rift and close it again. If we were to be honest and not look for insults but into our own hearts than the answer is already there. How well did we prosper when we were all in alliance with each other? How well did our treasure grow? Winter is here and we are unprepared for it after the things we just went through. Not to mention the fact that as we are wasting precious time talking about a possible wedding or not, our enemy might be regrouping. Our troops have suffered great losses, we won't make it through another attack if we keep being as divided as we are right now."

The hall in which the meeting took place was very quiet after that. Everyone lost in their own thoughts, until the silence was broken by Dwalin. "You know, for a man who didn't want to take sides you did make your opinion very clear. I don't like your opinion, I really don't but as much as I don't like the thought of it all, from a strategic point it is true that at this point all the parties at the table have something to gain from working together."

Dain looked around the table and noticed that most of the dwarves followed Dwalin in this. They may not like the idea of an elf marrying a dwarf. It felt unnatural and rather insulting to them, but then again they didn't have to do it and it wasn't as if the elf would become queen. If it meant an end to all the misery and the start to a new era then they could live with the additional disadvantages.

"Kili has already agreed to the match, I suppose the best course of action now is to let them decide together. As one king to another, I accept your offer Thandruil. And thank you kindly for it."

Thandruil bowed his head in return and for now that was the end of the meetings and talks for today. There was another day tomorrow. That didn't mean the talking was over though. The mountain had started buzzing as soon as talks outside the hall began. It was a good thing that Gloin had hurried himself to look for Kili and Tauriel and bring them towards Fili's chambers at the latter's command.

"I take it that Kili has already informed you of the proposal that Thandruil has asked of us." He began as he watched them enter, both looking as pale as they could, curious about the news he would bring them.

"He did your majesty." Tauriel said as she made a small bow before him.

"No, please," Fili said, gesturing that she should get up straight again "I'm way too tired to hear 'your majesty' once more today. If this is to happen I will be your brother by marriage and I won't have any of those boring formalities inside my own family. The reason that I called you here is because I wondered what your own wish is. It's all good and well for kings to talk of alliances and all that stuff… But do you want to marry my brother?"

"Nothing would please me more." She replied as she took hold of Kili's hand, it was then that Fili saw the engagement ring.

"Oh my brother, you sure don't like to wait do you? Now tell me… you do realise what you're going to marry right? I mean… look at him, he's obviously not the most handsome of the two of us and certainly not the smartest or the most diplomatic let alone the strongest." At the sulking face of his brother Fili started to laugh "Oh brother, I was just messing with ya. I suppose this means that a wedding is on. The council has with some difficulties agreed. Not everyone is please about it, but they see it as a 'necessary evil' so to speak."

The two people in front of him seemed to forget that he was even there as they hugged each other tightly, their lips meeting in joy.

"Yeah, okay… now… I hope you two will excuse me now, it's been a long, tiring and emotional day and some orc threw me off a tower after putting a sword in my back just six days ago."

"Of course brother!" Kili yelled as he threw his arms around him "Thank you! Thank you for convincing them."

"I didn't brother, you should thank Bard the dragon slayer from Dale for that. He was the one who gave the convincing arguments."

"Just the fact that you stand beside us in this is reason for thanks. I promise I'll stand by your side as well. Through everything that might still come."

The brothers hugged again and Fili looked at Tauriel.

"Welcome in the family my brother-wife to be. I hope you're ready for what's to come."

**So, they're getting married. Liked it? Hated it? Think something should change? Let me know!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Thank you ****Celebrisilweth for your kind review. I'm glad you liked it, hopefully you will like this chapter as well. As for the ones that are following this story, thank you as well.**

**Now here's the next chapter of the story.**

When Tauriel went to bed later that night she thought she would have a peaceful night of sleep ahead of her now that all the worries that troubled her were put aside for now. However her dreams prevented her from doing so.

She was walking through the halls of Erebor, they were empty, the sounds of forging and repair that she was beginning to get used to were gone, there was just the sound of her steps, echoing throughout. As she looked around she noticed that the halls were in ruin, more so than the state they had found it in now but didn't bother to look at the damage, continuing her walk through the halls as if she knew perfectly well where she was going until she came across a hall with tombs.

A few of them were rather large, knowing that they only carried ashes, but they weren't the ones her focus was on, she moved directly to a smaller one, instead of the usual khuzdul, this one was engraved in elfish and she could perfectly read what it said 'Here lies Kili, prince under the mountain, husband to the lady Tauriel who will never join him here, father to none.'

She wanted to cry, to let the tears stream over her cheeks but found that she couldn't. There wasn't a face to cry with, she didn't exist. Without Kili, there was no Tauriel, just an empty shell doomed to walk the earth without him.

With a startle she woke from her sleep and looked around her room, the dream still haunting in her mind. She walked towards the mirror and looked at her face, all still there. Her heart was beating wildly out of her chest, remembering the moment when she thought she had lost him and the joy at finding him alive and well. But she now fully realized that this was just a delay. Their story would end, she didn't know when but she already knew how. It would end when he dies.

She lowered herself to the ground of the cold room and started to cry, letting the emotions run freely. In the morning, nobody knew what had plagued her during the night. When she saw Kili's smiling face upon her, even she couldn't really fathom it, enjoying the touch of her betrothed as he greeted her with a kiss. Her fear still there, but barely noticeable even to her.

"I brought something for you." He said as he opened the palm of his hand to reveal a pair of earrings, they were beautiful and delicate, made in the dwarven style. "I know elves don't generally wear earrings. Well I didn't know it really, Dwalin had to tell me that an hour ago but they were the first jewels I ever succeeded in making when I was learning and I always said they would be for my wife someday if I were to have the luck to find one. So they're yours really, wetter you decide to wear them or not."

Tauriel smiled as she took the earrings into her hands. They were beautiful.

"I'll be a dwarven princess soon. So I might as well dress the part. These are beautiful Kili. They truly are."

She was planning to wear them, though she still hesitated a bit. The practice of puncturing one's ears was always seen as something dwarves of the richer kingdoms and mankind did. Elves never really cared for it, calling it even a bit barbaric. But the earrings in her hand were so beautiful and most importantly, they were made by Kili, it made it feel like a pity if she would never wear them.

It was quickly decided that the marriage of Kili and Tauriel would take place at the end of the peace talks, which was in two weeks already. This meant that the future bride and groom didn't see a lot of each other in the meantime.

Kili spent all of his time at the talks, supporting his brother, hoping that things went well. It wouldn't do for him if the elves were to leave in anger before the two weeks were over. With Dain at the table, that sometimes felt like a possible outcome.

"Do not insult our metal elf! My dwarves make the best there is to find in middle earth!"

"Nobody is insulting your metal Dain," Kili interrupted, "Arveldir merely suggested that if we are to trade fairly the dwarves should not have a monopoly on trade in weaponry and armour."

"But we have the best. Why would anyone want to buy from the elves then?"

"My mother made the best bread soup according to me but I once had to fight of Nàli because he was convinced it was his mother who made it. My uncle Thorin, our previous king was glad to fight with an elfish blade. Thank the Valar everyone's tastes differ because imagine my mother having to cook her soup for all the dwarves in the realm because she was the one who made the best."

After a bit more protest from Dain the discussion came to a close and Kili just shook his head, hoping that these talks would soon be over.

He and his brother both took turns in diplomacy to give the other a break but it was difficult for him to maintain this. He was a reckless dwarf, it was the one thing everyone knew about him. It wasn't in his nature to thread carefully and diffuse situations like these. If this discussion had happened a month ago he would've been quick to stand by Dain's side and defend the honour of dwarven metal alongside him. Maybe even with more passion than he had. But too much was at stake during these talks, both for the realm and himself. The few times that he did see Tauriel, mostly in the distance, he realised again why he was doing this.

Tauriel meanwhile was also busy doing things that did not fit in well with her character, though with her it involved wedding preparations. Talking an entire day about fabrics, food and music instead of her usual tasks as captain of the guard or training sessions really didn't go well with her. Just like the peace talks her betrothed was involved in, this too demanded a fair amount of diplomacy as the dwarves and elves had completely different customs when it came to marriages.

"We don't have to mix the wedding ceremonies of the two cultures in one do we? Can't we just have two ceremonies following each other?" she had asked at one point to the elves and dwarves who were assigned to the task. They had spent the entire morning discussing how the union would be symbolized and who would give the bride away, which vala would be addressed and so on, even the design of the dress had been a point of discussion. Should it be an elven design or a dwarven one, seeing as she was marrying into a dwarven house.

"But what about the dress then? Two dresses? That would take some time between the ceremonies to change." It was Cîlliel, one of the elven ladies assigned to her who had asked this question.

"It can be done, depending which ceremony comes first of course, because that would be the actual union. The second one they would be already bound by the previous one." Trèna, one of the few Dwarven woman spoke.

Tauriel just buried her face into her hands, not sure what to say or do anymore.

In the end she had decided on a dwarven ceremony seeing that their location was more suited for it and asked less time to prepare, and an elven dress, seeing that there wasn't enough time to create a new one in the dwarven style before the wedding was there.

After deciding what to do, the preparations in itself began next to which Tauriel actually followed classes, learning about the house and culture she was marrying into. This combined with her restless nights in which the same dream haunted her again and again was making her feel exhausted.

Four days before their wedding day they both have other things to concern themselves with, Dis would arrive that day and neither of them were sure if she would accept an elf into her family.

"Well, they always say I got her character and if I like you, I'm sure she'll like you as well."

"That's not what everyone else has been telling me, they say your mother is almost exactly the same as your uncle, both in character and beliefs."

Kili took her hand and squeezed it tight in reassurance.

"They're just testing you, you'll see."

"Kili! Oh my boy!" a shout suddenly came from across the hallway as a dwarven woman suddenly ran towards them from across the hall.

"Mother!"

The two hugged each other tightly and Tauriel smiled at the scene. What she didn't expect was the slap that followed.

"You reckless boy, nearly dying on me and then I hear you're getting married while I haven't yet met the girl you're in love with. Oh yes, I got quite mad at your brother for allowing you to get married to an elf as if you were a bargain chip but then he goes and says that you're in love with her."

"I do love her mother, she's right here. Tauriel, I want you to meet my mother Dis. Mother, this is my fiancée Tauriel."

The two women bowed to one another in greeting and looked each other up. Tauriel could see the look in her eyes, she was being analysed. Dis wasn't quite sure if she would make a good wife to her son. The conversation that followed might have looked rather casual and friendly to anyone listening in but Tauriel knew she was being tested and that the real questions lay beneath the surface.

"So, you're the woman who's going to marry my little boy?" (_I've raised him ever since he was a small boy, I made him into the man that he has become so you better take care of him.)_

Tauriel nodded her head in response "I am, I couldn't imagine ever finding a better man, let alone one who would chose me." (_He's a man grown now, not the little boy you describe here. He's capable of making his own decisions and he chose me. I not only love him, I'm grateful for him choosing me. I'm not taking this lightly.)_

Dis eyed her up and down again "I've heard you healed his wounds back at Lake Town and again carried him off the mountain when he was dying again. It seems I own you my son's life twice." _(Are you really as good as people tell me you are or has coincidence given you a false reputation?)_

"I did, I used elven magic to heal him the first time and am forever grateful that I was the one who found him on the day of the battle." _(Yes, I'm capable. I'm trained in elven magic so there was no coincidence when I rescued him.)_

"I heard this love blossomed rather quickly." _(Fancied marrying above your station?)_

"Yes, it did. When I first started having feelings for him I didn't even know his name. I left my home and disobeyed my king's orders for a man I didn't even know the slightest of other than the conversations we've had." _(For all I knew he was some homeless pauper of a dwarf who didn't have any prospects and still I left everything behind for him.)_

Dis gave her a big smile and hugged her around the middle. Tauriel was sure that Kili must have gotten his length from his father for the woman was a good amount shorter than her son.

"I'm glad to welcome you into the family Tauriel. We still got a lot to discuss you and I. I heard Trèna was in charge of the dwarven side of your wedding. Now that won't do, the woman still wears dresses that were in fashion when none of us ever heard of the name Smaug."

She turned to her son and smiled at him.

"You picked a bonnie bride, my lad."

She took Tauriel's hand and dragged her away from a dumbstruck Kili who was a bit surprised at the scene in front of him. Not really sure what just happened.

**So the next chapter is here, hope you're still liking this story. Let me know in a review what you think of it. What did you love? What did you hate? It helps me improve my skills and the story in itself.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Borys68**** – Thanks for pointing out the mistakes, that was really helpfull. English isn't my main language so I'm glad with the help. **

**Kyraillion**** – Yeah, me too. I knew Kili, Fili and Thorin would die but still when I saw it happening…**

**So here's the next chapter, hope you like it!**

She crept through one hallway after the other, her path lit with torches, her shadow following her wherever she went. It couldn't be helped that she kept feeling lost, as if she had a destination in mind but somehow the key to finding that destination was lost. At first she didn't pay a lot of attention to the voices that were following her, not even realising that they were there but they kept growing louder and louder until she had to stop and cover her ears.

"… the lonely elf… forever mourning… forever wandering… the black elf…"

Tauriel awoke with a startle and looked around the room. Every night since Kili proposed to her, she's been having nightmares. Different every time but all going back to the same central issue: her own lack of mortality. The fact that she hadn't seen Kili in three days now as was custom amongst his people only seemed to intensify them.

She could hear the dwarves were already very busy and that's when it hit her, today was her wedding day. A knock on the door announced that it was time for her to get ready.

Slowly she got out of her bed, towards the door, taking just a second to catch her breath before letting the real world in. The real world came in the form of 2 female dwarves and 4 elven ones, all led by Dis who had a determined look on her face, as if she were leading her troops into battle instead of wedding preparations, even the elves followed her orders as if it were the most usual thing in the world, though not without the occasional hidden sneers.

Tauriel did wonder if they were so hidden from Dis as they liked them to be. She started to get the feeling that nothing really passed her future mother-in-law, or husband mother as she should call her following the dwarven traditions.

In an hour time she was bathed and her hair was brushed through, now ready for the elves to work their magic on. Though she wouldn't be completely dressed like an elf today.

Three days ago after Kili had last seen her she had asked Dis to pierce her ears although it wasn't an easy thing to do with the shape of her ears and it had come down hard emotionally as well. It was the first thing she had done that didn't fit in her own culture and it felt like the first step to truly leave her home behind.

"You're lucky that my son had made rather small earrings, even for a dwarven lady, I think it's safe for you to wear them but you will experience a bit of discomfort."

As the earrings were put on she could see the judging looks from the elves at this decision but she wanted to see Kili's reaction when he realised that she was wearing them. It sometimes scared her a bit that she would go to lengths like this just to please the man who had captured her heart.

"He's going to love the sight of you dear, just wait until you put on your dress now."

Meanwhile Kili was pacing through his bedroom, all dressed up and ready for the wedding, his fellow dwarves looked at the sight and laughed.

"You'd think you're going to your funeral lad." Dwalin roared.

"Well, he is marrying an elf." Gloin put in, still not very convinced about the idea.

Kili looked up, his face looking rather pale. "There's really no humour in joking like that. What if someone decides that the alliance's off now that we're so close or something? I haven't seen her in days, what if she's changed her mind all of a sudden? I just want to get this wedding started so that I can be sure that she'll become mine."

Fili gave his brother a pat on the shoulder and smiled at him. "Well, it's time." He said smiling as the group moved to the thryng where dignitaries from all the surrounding and some even not so surrounding kingdoms were already sitting down, waiting for the ceremony to commence.

Kili took place up front, trying his best to keep his nerves down but he was doing a pretty poor job. At last the trumpets sounded, alarming them to the presence of the bride.

She was walked in at the arm of Dis, which was a custom. Some of the elves seemed to find the scene amusing but Kili didn't have time to think about any of that as he watched Tauriel approach him.

She was a beautiful elf to begin with but now she was even more gorgeous than he remembered, wearing a pale green dress adorned with pearls and silver embroidery and her hair so beautifully braided. He couldn't get enough of the sight.

It was only when she came closer to him that he noticed the real surprise.

"You're wearing my earrings." He whispered

She nodded her head as she smiled at him.

"You are so beautiful my azgal." He whispered as he took her hand in his, they were ready to become man and wife.

The ceremony itself was a simple but beautiful ones, the dwarven language for once forsaken for the common tongue. They were both so enthralled by each other that they almost missed the moment that they were finally declared man and wife if it weren't for the cheers in the hallway.

Not that the cheers were that loud, the elves for one weren't the cheering type and not all dwarves felt that the occasion was worth the cheers. It was a bit of an awakening for the couple to the fact that not everyone still supported their union.

That fact became even more obvious as the couple stood present to receive their gifts from different dignitaries. Some elves only greeted Tauriel while some dwarves only greeted Kili. The awkward moments were soon forgotten though by just a roll of the eyes to one another or a look.

Neither could believe that in such a short amount of time they were actually husband and wife. It felt just as terrifying as it felt amazing, there was still a lot they didn't know about each other.

What they didn't expect however was lord Elrond's reaction. They had thought that he of all elves would not approve of this union but if he did, he hid it well. He greeted both of them respectfully, addressing them by their correct title.

But it was the gift that he gave Tauriel that suddenly made her eyes widen. It was a scroll of the story of Lúthien, lord Elrond's great-grandmother and the wife of Beren, who had given up her mortality in exchange for a life with the man she loved.

She looked up at lord Elrond and saw the true meaning of it, in his eyes. This was a gift, intended to be more than just a story. This was the solution to all the pain and the future that she feared so much. She held it close to her and no matter the gifts that would still follow, she already knew which one would be more precious to her.

Lord Elrond took his gaze from Tauriel and bowed his head respectfully towards Kili.

"My lord, I have spoken to Thandruil about the trade routes that are opened with your folk. I find that with the present dangers nothing would be more wiser than to have us all united. I have extended an invitation to your king and now to yourself to visit us again at Rivendell, and talk about the possibilities."

Kili nodded his head "The invitation is gladly accepted my lord Elrond."

After the gifting there was finally time for a feast, Kili hadn't realised just how hungry he was until he heard the horns that announced it. Once again it felt weird to be sitting at the centre of attention.

"I'm starting to realise why I'm glad that you came before me, imagine being king and having to go through this every day."

"Yeah…" Fili replied, bringing his cup of wine to his mouth, "imagine that."

"Why don't you start dancing?" Kili asked, lots of women here who want to dance with you.

"Yeah, and if they wanted to dance just for my natural charm and not the empty spot next to my throne I'd be glad to dance with all of them. Sadly, I'm sure that in the past few weeks my charm didn't go up nor did my looks, no matter how perfect they already were. So no, I don't think they want me for another reason other than that and I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of bragging to their friends that they danced with 'the king' instead of 'Fili'."

Kili nodded his head as he looked at his bride who was dancing a bit further.

"I follow you in that one. We sons of Durin have our pride. But how about you ask Sigrid for a dance? You know, Bard's daughter? I don't think you have anything to fear in that regard when it comes to her, she's already a princess in her own right. It's my wedding brother, I want you to stop being king for a second and be my brother instead. Now if you'll excuse me… I think my bride has been dancing with other men for quite some time now, it's time that I stopped neglecting her."

Fili smiled as he watched his brother and Tauriel dance and then let his gaze fall on Sigrid, he didn't mind a dance himself.

**So, this was the next chapter, hope you liked it. Please let me know.**


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